Ceramic electronic component and electronic device

Abstract

In an electronic component, a first outer electrode is provided on a first side surface and a second outer electrode is provided on a second side surface. Each of the first and second outer electrodes includes first and second electrode portions that are arranged at positions other than end portions and a center of the first or second side surface in a first direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A ceramic electronic component comprising:
 a ceramic body including first and second principal surfaces each extending in a first direction and a second direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first direction, first and second side surfaces each extending in the first direction and a third direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction, and third and fourth side surfaces each extending in the second direction and the third direction; 
 first and second inner electrodes provided inside the ceramic body parallel or substantially parallel to the first and second principal surfaces, the first and second inner electrodes facing each other with a ceramic layer disposed therebetween in the third direction; 
 a first outer electrode provided on the first side surface and connected to the first inner electrode; and 
 a second outer electrode provided on the second side surface and connected to the second inner electrode; wherein 
 the first inner electrode and the second inner electrode face each other with the ceramic layer disposed therebetween in the third direction at least at a center of the ceramic body when viewed along the third direction; 
 each of the first and second outer electrodes includes first and second electrode portions that are separated and spaced apart from each other along the respective first or second side surface in the first direction and at positions other than end portions and a center portion of the respective first or second side surface in the first direction; 
 the first and second electrode portions of the first outer electrode are connected to the first inner electrode; 
 the first and second electrode portions of the second outer electrode are connected to the second inner electrode; 
 the first inner electrode extends to the first side surface but does not extend to the second side surface; 
 the second inner electrode extends to the second side surface but does not extend to the first side surface; 
 the first electrode portion is arranged so as to cover a region of the first or second side surface, the region being, when viewed in the third direction, separated from the third side surface by a distance in a range from about L 1 /3 to about L 1 /4 in the first direction, where L 1  is a length of the first or second side surface in the first direction; and 
 the second electrode portion is arranged so as to cover a region of the first or second side surface, the region being, when viewed in the third direction, separated from the fourth side surface by a distance in a range from about L 1 /3 to about L 1 /4 in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a distance between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion of the first outer electrode arranged next to each other on the first side surface is less than a distance between the third side surface and the first electrode portion of the first outer electrode, and less than a distance between the fourth side surface and the second electrode portion of the first outer electrode; and 
 a distance between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion of the second outer electrode arranged next to each other on the second side surface is less than a distance between the third side surface and the first electrode portion of the second outer electrode, and less than a distance between the fourth side surface and the second electrode portion of the second outer electrode. 
 
     
     
       3. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrode portions each extend onto the first principal surface. 
     
     
       4. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein dimensions of the first and second side surfaces in the first direction are greater than dimensions of the third and fourth side surfaces in the second direction. 
     
     
       5. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic body includes ferroelectric ceramics. 
     
     
       6. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic body includes barium titanate. 
     
     
       7. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrode portions each extend onto the second principal surface. 
     
     
       8. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first inner electrode extends to the first side surface and does not extend to any of the second, third, and fourth side surfaces; and 
 the second inner electrode extends to the second side surface and does not extend to any of the first, third, and fourth side surfaces. 
 
     
     
       9. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second outer electrodes are made of at least one of Ni, Cu, Ag, Pd, Au, Pt, and Sn. 
     
     
       10. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second inner electrodes are made of at least one of Ni, Cu, Ag, Pd, Au, Pt, and Sn. 
     
     
       11. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrode portions each extend onto the first principal surface and onto the second principal surface. 
     
     
       12. An electronic device comprising:
 a ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 ; 
 a substrate on which the ceramic electronic component is mounted; and 
 solder that connects the substrate and the first and second electrode portions of respective first and second outer electrodes of the ceramic electronic component. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the first and second electrode portions each include a portion extending onto the first principal surface; 
 the solder connects the portion of each of the first and second electrode portions extending onto the first principal surface to the substrate. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic device according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the substrate includes electrode pads arranged to correspond to the first and second electrode portions of the first and second outer electrodes; and 
 the solder is disposed between respective pairs of the electrode pads and the first and second electrode portions. 
 
     
     
       15. The electronic device according to  claim 12 , wherein the solder connects the substrate and the first and second electrode portions of respective first and second outer electrodes of the ceramic electronic component at four separate and distinct locations. 
     
     
       16. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first outer electrode consists of the first and second electrode portions; and 
 the second outer electrode consists of the first and second electrode portions. 
 
     
     
       17. The ceramic electronic component according to  claim 16 , wherein
 a distance between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion of the first outer electrode is less than a distance between the third side surface and the first electrode portion of the first outer electrode, and less than a distance between the fourth side surface and the second electrode portion of the first outer electrode; and 
 a distance between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion of the second outer electrode is less than a distance between the third side surface and the first electrode portion of the second outer electrode, and less than a distance between the fourth side surface and the second electrode portion of the second outer electrode. 
 
     
     
       18. A ceramic electronic component comprising:
 a ceramic body including first and second principal surfaces each extending in a first direction and a second direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first direction, first and second side surfaces each extending in the first direction and a third direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction, and third and fourth side surfaces each extending in the second direction and the third direction; 
 first and second inner electrodes provided inside the ceramic body parallel or substantially parallel to the first and second principal surfaces, the first and second inner electrodes facing each other with a ceramic layer disposed therebetween in the third direction; 
 a first outer electrode provided on the first side surface and connected to the first inner electrode; and 
 a second outer electrode provided on the second side surface and connected to the second inner electrode; wherein 
 the first inner electrode and the second inner electrode face each other with the ceramic layer disposed therebetween in the third direction at least at a center of the ceramic body when viewed along the third direction; 
 each of the first and second outer electrodes includes first and second electrode portions that are separated and spaced apart from each other along the respective first or second side surface in the first direction and at positions other than end portions and a center portion of the respective first or second side surface in the first direction; 
 the first and second electrode portions of the first outer electrode are connected to the first inner electrode; 
 the first and second electrode portions of the second outer electrode are connected to the second inner electrode; 
 the first inner electrode extends to the first side surface but does not extend to the second side surface; 
 the second inner electrode extends to the second side surface but does not extend to the first side surface; 
 a center of the first electrode portion in the first direction is positioned within a region of the first or second side surface, the region being separated from the third side surface by a distance in a range from about L 1 /3 to about L 1 /4 in the first direction, where L 1  is a length of the first or second side surface in the first direction; and 
 a center of the second electrode portion in the first direction is positioned within a region of the first or second side surface, the region being separated from the fourth side surface by a distance in a range from about L 1 /3 to about L 1 /4 in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       19. A ceramic electronic component comprising:
 a ceramic body including first and second principal surfaces each extending in a first direction and a second direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first direction, first and second side surfaces each extending in the first direction and a third direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction, and third and fourth side surfaces each extending in the second direction and the third direction; 
 first and second inner electrodes provided inside the ceramic body parallel or substantially parallel to the first and second principal surfaces, the first and second inner electrodes facing each other with a ceramic layer disposed therebetween in the third direction; 
 a first outer electrode provided on the first side surface and connected to the first inner electrode; and 
 a second outer electrode provided on the second side surface and connected to the second inner electrode; wherein 
 the first inner electrode and the second inner electrode face each other with the ceramic layer disposed therebetween in the third direction at least at a center of the ceramic body when viewed along the third direction; 
 each of the first and second outer electrodes includes first and second electrode portions that are separated and spaced apart from each other along the respective first or second side surface in the first direction and at positions other than end portions and a center portion of the respective first or second side surface in the first direction; 
 the first and second electrode portions of the first outer electrode are connected to the first inner electrode; 
 the first and second electrode portions of the second outer electrode are connected to the second inner electrode; 
 the first inner electrode extends to the first side surface but does not extend to the second side surface; 
 the second inner electrode extends to the second side surface but does not extend to the first side surface; 
 a distance between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion of the first outer electrode arranged next to each other on the first side surface is less than a distance between the third side surface and a portion of the first outer electrode nearest to the third side surface, and less than a distance between the fourth side surface and a portion of the first outer electrode nearest to the fourth side surface; and 
 a distance between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion of the second outer electrode arranged next to each other on the second side surface is less than a distance between the third side surface and a portion of the second outer electrode nearest to the third side surface, and less than a distance between the fourth side surface and a portion of the second outer electrode nearest to the fourth side surface.